From Open-Heart Surgery to Opening a Media Network to Help You Never Waste a Heartbeat with Your Story

“When I survived open-heart surgery my life changed forever. I learned to never waste a heartbeat. To use my voice, my message and my platform to make a difference in this world.” — Rachel McCord

On March 14th, 2024, as a wife and young mom with a 3-year-old son waiting at home, my heart stopped beating.

Lying lifeless on an OR table at Cedars Sinai, a team of 50 top surgeons, doctors, and nurses worked to heal my truly broken heart. For the first time in my whole life everything stopped…even my heart.

It was a painful and scary season, one I have thought about almost every day since. Because somewhere in that silence, I knew more than ever that God is real and felt closer to me than ever before.

I woke up on the other side of that surgery as a different person. Not because the procedure changed me. But because the stillness did.

When you come face to face with the reality that your heart could simply stop, you start to realize you never want to waste a heartbeat. You never want to take for granted the people in front of you. The people who desperately need the message of hope you thought you’d have forever to tell…

You stop treating your time, voice, and story like they belong only to you.

What I learned in that hospital was that my story was never mine to keep. It was mine to give away.

That is truly one of the most transformative messages I have ever learned.

The most powerful thing any of us can do in this life is turn our story into hope for someone else. A message of empowerment, activation. Not someday…today. Because none of us are promised the next heartbeat.

That conviction is the real reason The McCord List exists the way it does today.

For years, we built relationships and experiences with celebrities, creators, and entrepreneurs who understood the power of story: from events with the Bella Twins, Katy Perry, Martha Stewart, Tori Spelling, and the D’Amelio sisters, to years of production in front of and behind the camera. We knew how to create moments. What I realized after March 14 was that moments are not enough.

People do not need one more appearance. They need a platform that keeps working after the moment ends.

So we pivoted. We built a studio.

Not just any studio. We opened on the same film and TV lot that has helped shape some of the most iconic projects of all time: Iron Man, The Mandalorian, The O.C., Baywatch, Avatar, Revenge, even my sister AnnaLynne McCord’s show, 90210.

That same lot now houses our stage, cameras, and team. But most importantly, it houses the stories that are shifting culture.

This is where we hand you the microphone.

We give you the stage; then film, edit, and distribute your message as a show on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon, Samsung, podcast platforms, and social media. With press and placements including outlets like Entrepreneur, USA Today, and more.

We help you amplify your existing influence, media, and brand, while increasing revenue streams built on visibility, interviews, masterminds, accelerators, shows, and social media content.

This is the blueprint to build a brand around media, focused on legacy.

Your story, produced at the level it deserves, sent to the people who need it most.

Because that is the whole point. Not visibility for its own sake. Visibility that saves someone, encourages another, activates one to move into their purpose, their calling.

I thought my life might end that early morning in March. Instead, I’m reminded that my time is not up yet. Perhaps I’m still here for such a time as this…

I did not survive March 14th to build a bigger platform for myself. I survived it to build a bigger door for you: the person God is calling right now.

If you feel that excitement in your heart, the only question is: “Will it be ‘one day…’ or ‘day one’?”

If this is you, I hope you stop waiting until you’re ready. I hope you do it now!

I hope you get on that stage, sit on that couch (maybe for an interview on my talk show, The McCord List Today!), share that story, and say “yes” to that show… 

In this life, my prayer for you is the same one I have for our son, Jude: I hope you dance. 🙂

Baruch Hashem,

Rachel

When you can’t help but help…we help you build a media business that supports it.

For more information about The McCord List or if it might be a fit for you, check out TheMcCordList.com or email us at hello@themccordlist.com.